Chapter 3

Graphs of Linear
Equations
3.1 INTRODUCTION to GRAPHING

a. Plot points associated with ordered pairs

of numbers; determine the quadrant in
which a point lies.
b. Find the coordinates of a point on a graph.
c. Determine whether an ordered pair is a
solution of an equation with two variables.
Points and Ordered Pairs
To graph, or plot, points we use two perpendicular
number lines called axes. The point at which the axes
cross is called the origin. Arrows on the axes indicate
the positive directions.

Consider the pair (2, 3). The numbers in such a pair

are called the coordinates. The first coordinate in this
case is 2 and the second coordinate is 3.
Points and Ordered Pairs continued
To plot the point (2, 3) we start
at the origin.
Move 2 units in the horizontal
(2,
(2,3)
3)
direction.

The second number 3, is

positive. We move 3 units in
the vertical direction (up).

Make a “dot” and label the

point.
The horizontal and vertical axes divide the plane
into four regions, or quadrants.

In which quadrant is the

point (3, 4) located?
IV

In which quadrant is the

point (3, 4) located?
III
 Find the coordinates of points A, B,
Example C, D, E, F, and G.

Solution
Point A is 5 units to the right B
E A
of the origin and 3 units above
the origin. Its coordinates are G

(5, 3). The other coordinates F

are as follows:
B: (2, 4) D
C: (3, 4)
D: (3, 2) C

E: (2, 3)
F: (3, 0)
G: (0, 2)
 Determine whether each of the
Example following pairs is a solution of
4y + 3x = 18: a) (2, 3); b)(1, 5).

Solution
a) We substitute 2 for x and 3 for y.
4y + 3x = 18
4•3 + 3•2 | 18
12 + 6 | Since 18 = 18 is true, the pair (2, 3) is a
solution.
18 | True
b) We substitute 1 for x and 5 for y.
4y + 3x = 18
4•5 + 3•1 | 18
20 + 3 |
23 | False Since 23 = 18 is false, the pair (1, 5) is
not a solution.
3.2 GRAPHING LINEAR EQUATIONS

a. Graph linear equations of the type

y = mx + b and Ax + By = C, identifying the
y-intercept.
e. Solve applied problems involving graphs
of linear equations.
 Example Graph y = 3x
Solution Find some ordered pairs that are solutions. We choose any number for x
and then determine y by substitution.
y
x y = 3x (x, y)
2 6 (2, 6) (2, 6)
1 3 (1, 3) (1, 3)
0 0 (0, 0) (0, 0)
1 3 (1, 3)
2 6 (2, 6)

1. Choose x.
2. Compute y.
4. Plot the points.
3. Form the ordered pair (x, y).
 Example Graph y = 4x + 1

Solution
We select convenient values for x and compute y, and
form an ordered pair.
If x = 2, then y = 4(2) + 1 = 7 and (2, 7) is a solution.

If x = 0, then y = 4(0) + 1 = 1 and (0, 1) is a solution.

If x = 2, then y = 4(2) + 1 = 9 and (2, 9) is a

solution.
Solution (continued)
Results are often listed in a table.
x y (x, y)
2 7 (2, 7)
0 1 (0, 1)
2 9 (2, 9)
(1) Choose x.
(2) Compute y.
(3) Form the pair (x, y).
(4) Plot the points.
 1
Example Graph y  x3
4

Solution Complete a table of values.

x y (x, y) y-intercept (4, 4)

4 4 (4, 4)
0 3 (0, 3)
(4, 2)
4 2 (4, 2)
We see that (0, 3) is a
solution. It is the y-intercept.
1
y  x3 (0, 3) is the y-intercept.
4
 MORE with GRAPHING and
3.3 INTERCEPTS
a. Find the intercepts of a linear equation,
and graph using intercepts.
b. Graph equations equivalent to those of the
type x = a and y = b.
Intercepts
The y-intercept is (0, b). To find b, let x = 0 and
solve the original equation for y.

The x-intercept is (a, 0). To find a, let y = 0 and

solve the original equation for x.
y-intercept
(0, b) x-intercept

(a, 0)
 Consider 5x + 2y = 10. Find the
Example intercepts. Then graph the equation using
the intercepts.
Solution
To find the y-intercept, we let x = 0 and solve for y:
5 • 0 + 2y = 10 Replacing x with 0
2y = 10
y=5
The y-intercept is (0, 5).
To find the x-intercept, we let y = 0 and solve for x.
5x + 2• 0 = 10
Replacing y with 0
5x = 10
x=2
The x-intercept is (2, 0).
continued
We plot these points and draw
the line, or graph. A third point
should be used as a check. We
substitute any convenient
value for x and solve for y. y-intercept (0, 5)
If we let x = 4, then
5 • 4 + 2y = 10
x-intercept (2, 0)
20 + 2y = 10
2y = 10
y = 5 5x + 2y = 10
x y
0 5
2 0
4 5
Horizontal and Vertical Lines

The graph of y = b is a horizontal line. The y-

intercept is (0, b).
The graph of x = a is a vertical line. The x-
intercept is (a, 0).
 Example Graph y = 2

Solution
We regard the equation y = 2 as 0 • x + y = 2. No matter what
number we choose for x, we find that y must equal 2.

y=2
Choose any number for x. x y (x, y)
0 2 (0, 2)
4 2 (4, 2)
4 2 (4 , 2)
y must be 2.
continued y=2

Solution
When we plot the ordered
pairs (0, 2), (4, 2) and y=2
(4, 2) and connect the points, (0, 2)
we obtain a horizontal line. (4, 2) (4, 2)

Any ordered pair of the form

(x, 2) is a solution, so the line
is parallel to the x-axis with
y-intercept (0, 2).
 Example Graph x = 2

Solution
We regard the equation x = 2 as x + 0 • y = 2. We
make up a table with all 2 in the x-column.

x = 2
x must be 2. x y (x, y)
2 4 (2, 4)
2 1 (2, 1)
2 4 (2, 4)

Any number can be used for y.

continued x = 2

Solution x = 2
When we plot the ordered (2, 4)
pairs (2, 4), (2, 1), and
(2, 4) and connect them,
we obtain a vertical line. (2, 1)

Any ordered pair of the form

(2, y) is a solution. The line
is parallel to the y-axis with (2, 4)
x-intercept (2, 0).
3.4 SLOPE and APPLICATIONS

a. Given the coordinates of two

points on a line, find the slope of
the line, if it exists.
b. Find the slope of a line from an
equation.
c. Find the slope, or rate of change,
in an applied problem involving
slope.
We have looked at two forms of a linear equation,
Ax + By = C and y = mx + b

We know that the y-intercept of a line is (0, b).

y = mx + b

? The y-intercept is (0, b).

What about the constant m? Does it give certain

information about the line?
Slope
The slope of the line containing points (x1, y1)
and (x2, y2) is given by
rise change in y y2  y1
m   .
run change in x x2  x1
 Example
Graph the line containing the points (4, 5) and
(4, 1) and find the slope.
rise change in y
Slope = =
run change in x
y2  y1 rise

x2  x1
1  5
=
4  (4) run
6
=
8
6 3
=  , or 
8 4
The slope of a line tells how it slants.
A line with a positive slope slants up from left to right.
The larger the slope, the steeper the slant.

A line with a negative slope slants downward from left

to right.
It is possible to find the slope of a line from its
equation.

Determining Slope from the

Equation y = mx + b
The slope of the line y = mx + b is m. To find the
slope of a nonvertical line, solve the linear
equation in x and y for y and get the resulting
equation in the form y = mx + b. The coefficient
of the x-term, m is the slope of the line.
 Example
Find the slope of the line.
a. y  4 x  2 b. 2
y x
3 3

m = 4 = Slope 2
m = = Slope
3
c. y = x + 8 d. y  0.25 x  6.8

m = 1 = Slope m = 0.25 = Slope

 Example

Find the slope of the line 3x + 5y = 15.

Solution
We solve for y to get the equation in the
form y = mx + b.
3x + 5y = 15
5y = –3x + 15
3 x  15
y
5
3
3
y   x3 The slope is  .
5 5
 Example Find the slope of the line y = 3

Solution
Consider the points (3, 3)
and (2, 3), which are on the (3, 3) (2, 3)

line.
33
m
2  (3)
0

5
0
A horizontal line has
slope 0.
 Example Find the slope of the line x = 2

Solution
Consider the points (2, 4) (2, 4)
and (2, 2), which are on
the line.
4  (2)
m
22
6 (2, 2)
 undefined
0

The slope of a vertical line

is undefined.
Chapter 4

Polynomials:
Operations
4.1 INTEGERS as EXPONENTS

a. Tell the meaning of exponential notation.

b. Evaluate exponential expressions with exponents of
0 and 1.
c. Evaluate algebraic expressions containing
exponents.
d. Use the product rule to multiply exponential
expressions with like bases.
e. Use the quotient rule to divide exponential
expressions with like bases.
f. Express an exponential expression involving
negative exponents with positive exponents.
An exponent of 2 or greater tells how many times the
base is used as a factor.

a  a  a  a = a4 This is the exponent.

This is the base.

The exponent is 4 and the base is a.

An expression for a power is called exponential
notation.
n This is the exponent.
a
This is the base.
Definition and Rules for Definitions and
Rules for Exponents
1 as an exponent: a1 = a

0 as an exponent: a0 = 1, a  0

Negative integers 1 1
n
as exponents: a  n , n  an , a  0
a a

Product Rule: a m  a n  a mn

am mn
Quotient Rule: n
 a ,a  0
a
 Example

Evaluate (6x)3 when x = –3 .

Solution
(6x)3 = [6  (3)]3 Substituting
= [–18]3 Multiplying within brackets first
= [–18]  [–18]  [–18]
= –5832 Evaluating the power
 Example

Evaluate 6x3 when x = –3 .

Solution

6x3 = 6  (3)3 Substituting

= 6  (3) (3) (3) Evaluating the power first
= 6  (27)
= –162
4.2 EXPONENTS AND SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

a. Use the power rule to raise powers to

powers.
b. Raise a product to a power and a quotient to
a power.
c. Convert between scientific notation and
decimal notation.
d. Multiply and divide using scientific notation.
e. Solve applied problems using scientific
notation.
The Power Rule
For any real number a and any integers m and n,

a 
m n
a .
mn

(To raise a power to a power, multiply the

exponents.)
Raising a Product to a Power
For any real number a and b and any integer n,

(ab)  a b .
n n n

(To raise a product to the nth power, raise each

factor to the nth power.)
Raising a Quotient to a Power
For any real numbers a and b, b  0, and any
integer n, n
 
n
a a
   n.
b b
(To raise a quotient to the nth power, raise both the
numerator and the denominator to the nth power.)
Scientific Notation
Scientific notation for a number is an expression
of the type
M 10n ,
where n is an integer, M is greater than or equal
to 1 and less than 10 (1 ≤ M < 10), and M is
expressed in decimal notation. 10n is also
considered to be scientific notation when M = 1.
 Example

Convert to scientific notation:

a) 94,000 b) 0.0423
Solution
a) 94,000 = 9.4  104
Large number so the
9.4,000.
4 places exponent is positive.

b) 0.0423 = 4.23  102

0.04.23 Small number so the
2 places exponent is negative.
 Example

Simplify: (1.7  108)(2.2  105)

Solution (1.7  108)(2.2  105)

= (1.7  2.2)  (108  105)
= 3.74  108 +(5)
= 3.74  103